RINGSIDE TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 22798, 5 November 1937, Page 4

RINGSIDE TOPICS

LATEST FISTIC FLASHES

[By Hookeb.]

Artie Sutherland set tho seal on his claims for inclusion in the New Zealand team for the British Empire Games by scoring a decisive points win over Tom Lister, the New Zealand light-heavy-weight champion (says the ‘ Southland Daily News ’). Sutherland, fighting a man a class heavier and bigger and stronger, put up a great display, and demonstrated the effectiveness of straight punching. Time after time he beat Lister to the punch and connected with snappy lefts to the face. Lister would not open out, and found Sutherland too fast, and when he at-

tempted to land a punch too elusive. The Ashburton man carried heavy punches in both hands, but only on one occasion, in the second round, did he have a chance to land. In the fourth round Sutherland’s superiority was marked. He scored with frequent lefts to Lister’s face, and chopped over his right effectively. His win was decided, and was populary received. Sutherland is showing excellent form at present, and after proving that he is the bast man in both light-heavy-weight and middle-weight classes in New Zealand appears certain to be .included' in the New Zealand team of boxers for the Empire Games. Tuo - Otago Boxing Association has been in touch with boxers in various parts of the South Island in connection with the tournament it proposes running this month, and a number of local boye have also resumed training with their eyes on this tourney. Efforts have been made to arrange a professional contest, and the Match Committee will report on this matter at Monday’s meeting of the 0.8. A. Bill O’Connor, who is now mine host of tho Waimate Hotel, is very keen for Doug. Eddington to be given a professional match in Dunedin, and mentions Stan. Jenkin as an opponent who would be agreeable to Eddington. As the New Zealand _ professional welterweight champion is willing to meet Eddington, this is a match that might receive consideration from the 0.8. A. Bill has a middle-weight amateur boxer whom he considers a good prospect. This is a boy named Cliff Hanham, who has had four fights for three wins and a draw, having beaten Ron Withe'll, the present New Zealand heavy-weight champion, and drawn with Tom Lister, the New Zealand light-heavy-weight champion. The writer was pleased to have a call from E. Poeock, the well-known Rakaia referee, last week. Pocock was returning from Invercargill, where he had charge of the Ashburton boxers, R. Smith (bantam-weight) and T. Lister (light-weight). Both boys have agreed to appear in Dunedin should the Otago Boxing Association stage a tournament this month. The defeat of Pete Sarron. world’s feather-weight champion,, by the coloured fighter, Henry Armstrong, was not unexpected in the United States, for Armstrong has been recognised as champion by some commissions, and his imposing record of knock-out wins gave strength to the opinion that in him Sarron would find his most dangerous opponent to date. Any boxer who can dispose of a rugged fighter like Sarron in six rounds must be something out of the ordinary, and Armstrong would appear to be one of the best men to hold the feather-weight title for many a day. Apparently ho has eyes on the lightweight crown also, and he is bound to add interest to that division as well as the feather-weight class in the near future.

The Wellington Boxing Association received word from Colin Craib a week before his bout with Tui Loveridge that he ■would he unable to keep the date because of sickness (says the New Zealand ‘Free Lance’). Eddington was sounded as a substitute, but as the date was unsuitable, the tournament was postponed. Two. overseas professional boxers, (Bobby Dunne, feather-weight champion of Tasmania, and Moe Moss, an English middle-weight, are recent arrivals iu Auckland, and are seeking matches in their respective divisions (says the Auckland ‘ Herald ’). Dunne has been competing as a professional for seven years, during which time he took part in 117 matches. He won 96 of these, including 35 by the knock-out route. Dunne, who weighs 9st 31b in fighting trim, is prepared, te meet any

feather-weight or light-weight in New Zealand. Among the men he has defeated are Snowy Means, bantamweight champion of Australia, Pat Shannon, ex-light-weight champion of Victoria, and Woofer Lord, light-weight champion of Western Australia. The latter two were knocked out, while Means was twice beaten on points. Dunne also drew with Max Richards, feather-weight champion of Queensland. Moo Moss has had over 200 professional contests. He is 24 years of age and weighs list 51b when thoroughly trained. He has an excellent record, having won a lot of his bouts by a knock-out. Moss issues a challenge to any middle-weight in the Dominion. Dave M'Leod, who was offered a contest at Dunedin at the Otago Boxing Association’s next tournament, was unable to accept as he has finished boxing for this season. M'Leod put up a good showing against Dick Baker at Rakaia some time ago, but he is away from Christchurch at the present time. M'Leod will probably he available early next season, and may be seen in action in Dunedin then.

Wales will be represented in the British Empire Games welter-weight boxing championship in Sydney next February by a twenty-year-old champion, D. P. Reardon, of whom British boxing critics speak highly. Hailing from Cardiff, the home of many famous pugilists, Readon comeneed his boxing career at the age of 14 years, when he won the 6st Welsh and British schoolboy championship in 1930. In 1932 he won the same title for 6st 71b lads. In 1933 Reardon carried off the 7st 71b Welsh youths’ championship, and in 1934 was crowned the Welsh 9st youth champion. Since winning the Welsh middle-weight title in March, Reardon competed in the British B.A. championships in London, and although suffering from a septic thumb, was beaten on the casting vote of the referee by Wally Pack, British welter-weight champion in 1936. Reardon is a fitter by trade. Seven New South Wales boxers and nine wrestlers have been included in the team chosen by the selectors of the Amateur Boxing and Wrestling Union to represent Australia at the Empire Games in Sydney on February 7 and 10. Amongst them are four wrestlers—R. Purchase (feather), T. •Hardwick (middle), E. R. Scarf (lightheavy). and J. Knight (heavy)—who won Australian championships in Hobart last month. Knight is the Empire title-holder, and Scarf has twice represented Australia at the Olympic Games, The only other Empire champion among the selected representatives is R. E. Garrard, of Victoria, who won the light-weight wrestling. The team is:—Boxers—Fly-weight; H. Cooper (Vic.), T. Law (Qsld.), L. Wilson (N.S.W.). Bantam: E. Aurisch (W.A.), J.'Clements (Tas.), J. B. Dillon (S.A.). Feather: L. Bonner (N.S.W.), J. Mac© (N.S.W.), T. Schluter (Qsld). Light: I. Ellis (Vic.), W. Piper (W.A.), A. L. Tanner (Vic.). Welter: H. G. Cummins (N.S.W.), J. Prater (W.A.), W. Smith (Tas.). Middle: E. Burke (Vic.) ,E. Liechneur (Qsld.), L. Stubbs (Tas.). Lightheavy: S. F. Beaumont (N.S.W.), L. Harley (Vie.), C. Overall (Vic.). Heavy: S. O. Inskip (N.S.W.), R. M‘Crack en (Qsld.), R. O. Moodie (N.S.W.). Wrestlers:—Bantam: L. Langan (Qsld.), E. P. Purcell (Vic.), S. Rowell (N.S.W.). Feather: E. Curtis (Vic.), H. Napper (Qsld.), R. Purchase (N.S.W.). Light: R. Garrard (Vic.), E. Langford (N.S.W.), A. Robinson (W.A.). Welter: J. Faul (N.S.W.), W. J. Sinclair (Vic.), T. Tfevaskis (Vic.). Middle: T. Hardwick (N.S.W.), C. Huxtable (S.A.), J. J. O’Hara (Vic.). Light-heavy; H, Keenan (Vic.), J. Reilly (N.S.W.), E. R. Scarf (N.S.W.). Heavy: J. Carr (N.S.W.), F. Gardiner (Vic), J. Knight (N.S.W.). The selectors reserve the right to make a final selection by January 21. In the meantime the men will undergo regular training, weighing, and medical supervision in their respective States. Australia, Canada, Ceylon, England, New Zealand, Rhodesia, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales have now announced that they will be represented in the boxing section, and Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland, and South Africa will have competitors in the wrestling. The Otago Boxing Association has been advised that Dick Baker, the Southland welter-weight, will he unable to fight at its next tournament because ho will be leaving for Sydney next Friday, and will he under the care of the well-known Sydney trainer, Mr Jack Dunleavy, until Christmas. Baker has expressed his thanks to the association for sending him to the New Zealand championships, and when he comes back be states that if be can he of any assistance to the association later he will be very pleased to do bo.